Abstract:

The research was directed at setting up guidelines for the counsellor dealing with the adolescent in a multicultural environment. The supposition of the study was that the adolescent in a multicultural environment should be treated by the counsellor with cultural empathy, understanding and insight. This process should be free from stereotyping and prejudice.
Guidelines were set up using a combination of Gestalt philosophical principles, existing literature and semi-structured interviews with cultural therapy experts.
For the purpose of this study Thomas and Rothman's intervention research model was applied. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to gain information on the adolescent in therapy, which was combined with information found in literature in order to set up guidelines for counsellors.
The researcher concludes that the counsellor dealing with the adolescent in a multicultural environment, has to possess sufficient cultural knowledge, cultural efficiency and cultural empathy to achieve a successful theurapeutic outcome.
Guidelines for the counsellor who works with adolescents in a multicultural environment were set up successfully to bridge the current lack of knowledge in the field.